Local woman is a greyhound's best friend

Cyndy Curley and her 10 1/2 year old greyhound, Mr. Bean, whom she took into her home 7 years ago. Anyone with a pet - whether a cat, a dog, or a ferret - knows it can be such an integral part of your life that it becomes a member of the family. You can't imagine life without them.

Sherwood Road resident Cyndy Curley has three greyhounds in her home, all "rescues," and it is clear when watching her with them that they are like children to her. Curley and her husband adopted their first ex-racing dog, Mr. Bean, in 1992, and have been involved in greyhound rescue ever since. They also have two "foster" greyhounds, Grace and Hector, who have become permanent fixtures in the Curley household. "We've also got one cat, Lily, age 6, from the Sterling Animal Rescue. She runs the house," Curley said.

Curley volunteers at Greyhound Friends, a Hopkinton kennel that takes in ex-racing greyhounds and finds a suitable home for them. The kennel will have a booth at the Bay Colony Cluster Dog Show, held at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston from December 6-9 where they will hand out their newsletter, care guides, adoption information and sell greyhound calendars while bringing awareness to their cause.

"Often dogs come to the kennel a little underweight, timid and unsure of this new twist to their routine," she said. "It's so rewarding to see them get homed with the right person or family and see those dogs blossom. So many return to visit during our semi-annual open houses and they seem like completely different animals. Shiny coats, nice muscle tone, happy, confident and affectionate. It's astounding how resilient and trusting they are despite their beginnings."

The Bay Colony Cluster Dog Show showcases an average of 2,500 pedigree pooches each day competing for "Best in Show" honors after winning within their respective breeds and groups. The show is organized and run by volunteers from three American Kennel Club dog clubs: Eastern Dog Club, Ladies' Dog Club and Middlesex County Kennel Club. It features four days of agility trials by Yankee Golden Retriever Club.

Each day, approximately 10,000 people will cheer on 155 AKC-registered dog breeds, from popular cocker spaniels and golden retrievers to this year's newly-recognized AKC breeds such as the Tibetan Mastiff and the Plott. Each day offers a unique mix of events presented by a different dog club, with a "Best in Show" trophy being awarded each of the three days. A variety of vendors and dog organizations will have booths at the show, including the Greyhound Friends. The booth is reserved for them each year by the Expo Center at no cost.

Greyhound Friends, Inc., started by Louise Coleman in 1983, will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in May of 2008. The organization is dedicated to finding loving homes for ex-racing greyhounds and occasionally the odd greyhound mix, said Curley.

"We also work to educate the public on what excellent pets these dogs make after their racing careers are over," she said. "Like all non-profit rescue groups, the toughest job of all is raising money, soliciting donations and applying for grants to keep the kennel going."

The kennel is staffed primarily by volunteers, and it is estimated they have rescued more than 6,000 dogs since its doors opened. "There is no end to what they do for these dogs," said Curley.

"People see pictures of racing dogs with muzzles on and think that the dogs are vicious. In fact, it's usually the opposite. Greyhounds are very sweet, gentle dogs. Some will always be keen and chase 'prey' but many live peacefully with small animals after their racing days are over. Our dogs are adopted out with all their shots, spayed or neutered, a brand new collar and matching lead and some dog food to ease the transition into their new home."

Curley recommends that anyone interested in adopting a greyhound visit the Greyhound Friends Web site, www. greyhound.org, to view available dogs, and visit the kennel several times if possible.

"Dog ownership is a serious commitment and anyone interested should take their time finding a good match," she said. "We've got literature to help decide if this is the right breed for you as well as information on what to expect after adopting a former athlete. We try to match dogs up with the right owner based on the personality and needs of both the dog and human."

Curley noted she visited the kennel three times before she came home with her first greyhound.

"The dogs themselves are their own best ambassadors. Once people meet them off the track, they see what sweet gentle couch potatoes they are and the misconceptions fade away," she said. "In a perfect world, no breed of dog would be overbred. Shelters and rescue organizations would have dozens of kennels full of cobwebs, not quadrupeds. In the meantime, we just keep putting our dogs and our message out there."